Rating: 4/5
I picked up this book because the title and cover stayed with me. Right from the first pages I felt the story had a pulse — it moves with purpose and keeps you involved. The mood is earnest and brave, and I found myself caring about what the characters were trying to do.
Setting and plot
The story is set in Cochin, Kerala in the early 1980s, when student politics and big protests sweep the city. The main action starts after a violent incident that shakes everyone, and a group of young people form a movement on the streets. The book shows how small decisions inside the movement turn into huge consequences for the city and for people’s lives.
Main characters
At the center is the girl in the scarlet hijab. She is quiet but sharp, and her presence becomes a kind of rallying point for others. Alongside her are young men and friends who bring different ideas and loyalties to the struggle. I liked how the author let their strengths and flaws come out slowly, so I could see them changing as the story went on.
Themes that stayed with me
The book is about more than protest. It is about courage, identity, loyalty, and what people are willing to risk for what they believe in. It asks how far young people will go when they think they are right, and how private things like love and memory get mixed up with public fight. Those layers made the story feel bigger than a single event.
Writing style and pacing
The writing is descriptive enough to paint the city and the tension, yet not so fancy that it slows the story. The pace picks up when it needs to and gives room for quieter moments. I found the scenes that focus on small human details the most moving, because they made the stakes feel real. The voice is steady and controlled, which suits a political story like this.
What I loved most
I loved the way the scarlet hijab becomes a symbol in the book. It is simple but powerful, and it ties together the personal and the political in a way that felt honest. The book also made me think about how movements are built from many small acts, not just one big speech or one great leader. That idea stayed with me after I finished the last page.
A small, gentle critique
If I have to point out one small thing, it is that at times the story tries to hold many threads at once, and I wanted a little more time with a couple of secondary characters. A little more space for them would have made some emotional turns hit even harder. This did not break the book for me, but I felt it once or twice.
Closing note
Overall, this is a strong, thoughtful novel. It kept me hooked and it left me with images and moments I keep thinking about. If you like political stories that also care about people, this one is worth your time.
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